The President of the North Dakota Long Term Care association says the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid’s new staffing rules for nursing homes could lead to nursing home closures.
Nicki Wagner told the Legislature’s interim Human Services Committee – the rule that has caused the most concern is the requirement that nursing homes have a registered nurse available 24-7 on-site.
"For us, and for the rest of the nation, this is really an impossible staffing mandate," Wagner told the Committee. "There are simply not enough RNs to fulfill this requirement."
Wagner said while the intent behind the rule is to improve the quality of care, it presents significant challenges. She said the new 24-7 rule takes effect in 2025 for urban facilities, and 2026 for rural facilities. She also told the Committee more of the cities in North Dakota have been labeled as “urban.”
"We all want quality care," Wagner said. "This was not the route to do that, especially when we're in a situation with a staffing crisis already."
Wagner said there are some bills pending in Congress that will help. She also said a lawsuit over the rules is pending. Wagner said she asked Attorney General Drew Wrigley to file an "amicus" brief in the case, but so far, he has declined.
